Arvon Jay Arave

Arvon Jay Arave returned to his heavenly home after a prolonged battle with cancer on July 31, 2024. AJ was born on October 15, 1942 to Wallace Arave and Myrel Polson in Shelley, Idaho. He was the third child of five sons and two daughters. He spent all of his growing up years in the Shelley area thoroughly enjoying life and friends and family. He liked to say he went to school with the same group of students for 12 years. He had many lifelong friends from his growing up years and was very good about maintaining contact with them. He cherished those years in Shelley in farming and athletics….and various and widely varied shenanigans. When he turned 18, he joined the US Army and left Shelley to see the world for the next 10 years serving in Georgia, Arizona and Hanau, Germany during the Berlin Crisis then returning back to Shelley in January of 1971. His service in the army was exemplary and he achieved the rank of Sargent early in his military career. He spent a lifetime of service in the National Guard after his full-time duty and eventually achieved the rank of Command Sargent Major. He absolutely loved serving his country and encouraged any and all of his grandchildren that he could to serve.

On April, 30, 1963 he married Lanna Barnett of Taylor, Idaho and this marriage yielded 4 children: Wally, Bruce, Brice and Addy. They were later divorced. On February 6, 1981 he married Sandy Weiszhaar and they spent 43 wonderful years together. They travelled the world and were able to serve 4 different church missions. He loved spending time with her and they could always be found chasing grand children and visiting with family.

AJ attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and went to work as a clinical social worker at the youth institution in St. Anthony, Idaho. He later worked as Personnel Director of Eastern Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. In 1981, he was appointed chief of inmate management at the Idaho State Penitentiary and later served as Warden of the same prison and eventually Warden over the newer maximum security prison. He was very good at his job and had an uncanny ability to work with inmates and had their respect. It’s easy to respect 6’6” 280 lbs. but he knew how to communicate and deal with them on a personal level. He retired from state service in 1996. In his “retirement” he spent time working in adult protection and he had many clients he watched out for and literally protected. He travelled all over Eastern Idaho to visit them and make sure things were OK.

He enjoyed many hobbies and had many talents including painting, building all sorts of things from drift boats to trailers to decks. He always had a project and was always tinkering with something. He loved to golf with his boys and fished as often as he could on any body of water. Possibly he enjoyed drift boating the most but could easily be talked into trolling local reservoirs and lakes. One of his favorite fishing holes he would pull a lawn chair out and sit in the middle of the river and let his line run through the hole. He loved to teach grandkids how to fish and loved to be in the outdoors. His brothers Alvin and Lance were his primary fishing companions. He really missed Alvin when he passed away. Their reunion certainly has been grand.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Sandy, son Wally (Carolyn) Arave, son Brice Arave, son Bruce (Sharon) Barnett, son Travis (Donna) Weiszhaar, daughter Lisa (Gentry) Myler, daughter Addy (David) Matamoros, sister Nadine (Charlie) Jones, sister Renae (George) Frazier and brother Lance (Pam) Arave. Together they have 28 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Funeral Services for Arvon will be on Saturday, August 10, in Boise, Idaho at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint church at 7135 N Linder Drive next to the Meridian Temple at 2:00 p.m. The family will meet with friends and family at 1:00 p.m. A graveside service will be conducted at the Taylor Cemetery on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in Taylor, Idaho. Thanks to all who have supported and assisted AJ and Sandy during these recent challenging years. They cherish your friendship and support.